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​What if one of the greatest threats to your safety isn't a lack of awareness—but the false belief that you're paying attention?
In this episode of the American Warrior Show, Rich Brown sits down with cognitive scientist Dr. Paul Atchley to explore the science of attention, perception, and human performance.
For decades, Dr. Atchley has studied how people process information, how distraction impacts performance, and why our brains often fail to detect important details even when they appear to be in plain sight. His work has influenced conversations surrounding driving safety, human attention, decision-making, and risk assessment.
Dr. Atchley has been conducting research and teaching about cognitive factors related to hazard perception and inattention for over 30 years. He is currently on faculty at the University of South Florida. Dr. Atchley received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside in 1996 and completed postdoctoral training at the Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois in 1998.
 
Dr. Atchley has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters on issues of vision and attention. He has also received awards for his research, teaching, service and student advising. Dr. Atchley’s work has been highlighted by national and international press such as the BBC, NPR, and the New York Times.During this conversation, Rich and Dr. Atchley discuss:
• The science of situational awareness
• Why people miss obvious threats and critical information
• Attention, distraction, and performance under stress
• Human perception and its limitations
• Decision-making in dynamic environments
• What instructors, law enforcement officers, and armed citizens can learn from cognitive science
• Practical ways to improve awareness and performance
Whether you're a competitor, instructor, law enforcement officer, military professional, or armed citizen, this episode provides valuable insights into how your brain works - and how understanding those limitations can make you safer and more effective.
Enjoy the show.

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​In this round two conversation, Rich Brown sits down with Gavin Glasenapp, former 160th SOAR (Night Stalker) pilot and current leader on the Delta Defense training team for a deep dive into what it really takes to transition from military and law enforcement into the firearms training world.
This episode goes beyond war stories. It’s about teaching, influence, and carrying the mission forward in a way that actually impacts armed citizens.
In this episode, we cover:

• The reality of transitioning from military/LE into the firearms industry, and where many get it wrong
• Why high-level operational experience doesn’t automatically translate into effective instruction
• The fundamentals of teaching firearms to everyday citizens vs. trained professionals
• The responsibility of instructors in shaping safe, capable, and confident protectors
• A candid look at Second Amendment advocacy- what matters, what doesn’t, and where we need to improve
• Lessons from the 160th SOAR mindset: preparation, accountability, and performance under pressure
• What makes a firearms instructor truly “high level” in today’s environment

This is a conversation about evolution of identity, of mission, and of responsibility.
If you’re an instructor, a protector, or someone serious about getting better, this one delivers.

Episode # 431: From Navy SEAL to CEO: Clay Tippins on Leadership, Business, and Winning
Today's guest is Clay Tippins.

​Clay is a former Navy SEAL officer, entrepreneur, business executive, and CEO of Vigilant Gear Holdings, the parent company of Primary Weapons Systems and Lone Wolf Arms. His career has taken him from military service and combat deployments to the executive suites of major corporations and ultimately into building and leading companies of his own.
In this conversation, Rich Brown sits down with Clay to discuss leadership, entrepreneurship, building high-performance teams, lessons learned in combat, and the mindset required to succeed when the stakes are high.
Whether you're a business owner, military veteran, leader, competitor, or simply someone committed to becoming better every day, you're going to find tremendous value in this conversation.
Clay:
https://primaryweapons.com/about-us
https://lonewolfdist.com/
 

Today's Featured Sponsor:  Werkz holsters

In this episode, Rich Brown sits down with John Hearn of Two Pillars Training to break down what the data actually tells us about defensive gunfights—and how most training completely misses the mark.
John has built a reputation for digging into real-world incidents, analyzing patterns, and applying that information to how we should actually train. From distances and timing to decision-making under pressure, this conversation challenges assumptions and replaces them with reality.

They dive into what the numbers reveal about how fights really unfold, where traditional training falls short, and how armed citizens can better prepare for the moments that matter most.
If you’re serious about training with purpose—not just going through the motions—this episode will change how you think about practice.

​In 2021, John founded Two Pillars Training and began to offer unique curriculum focusing on decision making while shooting in addition to classic skills with pistol and carbine. Besides hands-on shooting classes, John has presentations focusing on the data side of the self-defense world. His interests include human performance under life and death stress, historic gunfights, crime data, and criminal typologies.
 
John has a Master’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in Research Methods. He has instructor credentials from the FBI, FLETC, NRA-LEAD, Rangemaster, CSAT, Centrifuge Training, Tactical Anatomy Systems, Kentucky National Guard, and many others.
 
Finally, John is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation.
John Hearne's Webstie:
https://twopillarstraining.com/

Show Featured Sponsor Product: Seeklander Edition Holster
​
In this episode of the American Warrior Show, Rich Brown and Bill Rapier dive into hard-earned lessons drawn from the world of Naval Special Warfare Development Group - where performance is measured in life-and-death outcomes, and teamwork isn’t optional.
This conversation isn’t about hype or hero worship. It’s about standards. It’s about how elite units train, communicate, and execute and what armed citizens, competitors, and instructors can take from those principles.
Because here’s the truth: individual skill matters… but team performance wins.
In this episode, they discuss:

• The difference between being a good shooter and being an asset to a team
• Why elite units obsess over repetition and measurable standards
• Communication under stress  and how small breakdowns create big failures
• Accountability inside high-performance cultures
• How ego quietly destroys team effectiveness
• What civilian defenders misunderstand about “tactical” training
• Applying special operations training principles to your own range time

Rich and Bill break down how discipline, humility, and clear standards build competence - and how those same principles can transform the way you train, lead, and protect.
Whether you’re an instructor, competitor, protector, or leader in your own home, this episode challenges you to raise your standards.
Train with purpose. Perform with discipline. Contribute to the team.

Show featured Sponsor:  Werkz Holsters, the company that cracked the code on light bearing holsters! 

In this episode of the American Warrior Show, Rich Brown is joined by cybersecurity expert Andrew Frisbie for a timely and eye-opening conversation on modern cyber threats, digital preparedness, and the role of artificial intelligence in today’s threat landscape.
As recent cyber incidents continue to impact infrastructure, financial systems, personal data, and national security, Rich and Andrew break down what’s actually happening—and what most people are completely unprepared for.
This episode covers:

• Real-world cyber threats affecting everyday Americans right now
• How cyber attacks target individuals, businesses, and critical systems
• Where AI is helping defenders—and where it’s empowering attackers
• Why cybersecurity is no longer a “tech problem,” but a personal security issue
• Practical steps armed citizens, families, and leaders can take to reduce risk

The battlefield has expanded.
Threats no longer require physical proximity—and attackers don’t need guns.
This conversation reframes cybersecurity as part of modern personal defense, challenging warriors and protectors to think beyond traditional threats and recognize that preparedness now includes digital awareness, resilience, and adaptability.
If you believe in protecting yourself, your family, and your community, this episode will change how you view security in an AI-driven world.

Show featured sponsor: Tip Top K9 Training 

In this episode, Rich Brown sits down with Walt Settlemyre, host of The Distinguished Savage Podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation on readiness, capability, and what it actually means to live prepared in the modern world.
They discuss:

• Why competence is disappearing as comfort increases
• The difference between talking about violence and preparing for it responsibly
• How physical fitness, mindset, and skill intersect in real-world self-defense
• The danger of outsourcing personal responsibility to systems, gear, or credentials
• Why training must be continuous, uncomfortable, and intentional
• What “civilized savage” really means - and why it matters now more than ever
• The role of community, discipline, and standards in developing capable humans

This is not a tactics episode.
It’s a truth-based conversation about readiness, accountability, and becoming harder to break - physically, mentally, and morally.
If you care about:

• Self-defense
• Leadership
• Personal responsibility
• And building real-world capability

This episode will resonate.

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On today's American Warrior Show, we will be joined by former 160th Pilot and the current Training Operations Manager at Delta Defense, Gavin Glasenapp.
 
Gavin Glasenapp is the Training Operations Manager at Delta Defense, supporting the U.S. Concealed Carry Association’s nationwide instructor network. He brings a deep operational background built over two decades in the U.S. Army, where he retired as a Chief Warrant Officer Four.
 
Gavin spent the first half of his career in the AH-64A and AH-64D Apache community, serving as both an Instructor Pilot and Standardization Instructor Pilot. He later assessed into the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), flying the MH-47G on heavy-assault missions in direct support of special mission units. Across twelve combat deployments flying both the Apache and Chinook, he gained extensive experience in complex, high-risk environments.
 
After the Army, Gavin served as a police officer in Southeastern Wisconsin, completing advanced LE training, including ALERRT and SWAT school. He now leverages his combined military, law-enforcement, and instructional expertise to strengthen USCCA training programs and enhance the readiness and capability of responsibly armed Americans. Gavin enjoys multiple hobbies and spending time, especially traveling, with his soon to be wife, Jessica.

• This episode gives listeners a rare look at the training, standards, and mission profiles of the legendary 160th SOAR.
• Gavin Glasenapp explains what sets these pilots apart and how their approach to risk, planning, and contingencies offers powerful lessons for everyday carry practitioners.
• Rich and Gavin connect SOF aviation principles to personal defense, instructor development, and decision-making under pressure.
• A fascinating mix of story and strategy.

Featured Product Sponsor: Werkz Light Bearing Holsters - 
"WE MAKE HOLSTERS FOR PISTOLS WITH LIGHTS"Episode 421: Justin Carroll & Rich Brown — Competent and Dangerous
In this powerful conversation, Rich Brown sits down with author, Marine veteran, former intel professional, and long-time friend of AWS Justin Carroll to dive deep into his new book, Competent and Dangerous. This episode breaks down what it truly means to be a capable, prepared, and resilient protector in a world that is shifting faster than most realize.
In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why Justin wrote Competent and Dangerous and who the book is designed to serve.
  
• The gap between “owning a gun” and “being dangerous enough to win.”
  
• Justin’s model for developing well-rounded capability across shooting, fitness, medical, communication, and decision-making.
  
• The realities of modern threat environments and why most citizens dramatically underestimate them.
  
• Why competence must precede confidence — and how to build both through structured training.
  
• The role of mindset, deliberate practice, and environment design in building daily habits that stick.
  
• Justin’s take on preparedness culture — what we’re doing right, and where most people are failing.
  
• Rich and Justin’s shared experiences training, carrying, and working with real-world protectors.
  
• How to turn information into action and begin closing capability gaps immediately.
  

Who is Justin Carroll?

• U.S. Marine Corps veteran
  
• Former intelligence professional
  
• Security, preparedness, and communications expert
  
• Author of multiple well-regarded works on readiness
  
• Instructor and long-time AWS contributor
  
• Host of the “Across the Peak” podcast
  
• One of the clearest voices in the modern preparedness and training community
  

Why this episode matters:Because being armed is not the same as being dangerous.
Justin’s book and this conversation outline the roadmap for the modern citizen-protector: capable, adaptable, trained, and mentally resilient.
Get the Book here!

Show Featured Sponsor:  The Precision Holsters Vanquish! Learn more: Precision Holsters and use code “seekAWS” for a discount.​​

On today’s episode of the American Warrior Show, Rich Brown is joined by Michael “Mac” McNamara, founder of Post-Traumatic Winning and ALL MARINE RADIO. Mac’s story spans finance, combat, leadership, and a lifelong mission to help others thrive after trauma.
About Michael McNamara:

• Began his career at Merrill Lynch in Los Angeles, first as a bookkeeper and later as an account executive.
• Enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, later commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1983.
• Served in multiple assignments, including:
  • 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment
  • 1st Light Armored Infantry Battalion
  • Marine Detachment, USS Ranger CV-61
  • The Basic School
  • 3rd Light Armored Infantry Battalion
• Left active duty in 1994 after more than a decade of service.

Post-Service Career & Return to Duty:

• Became Director of Sports for Special Olympics North Dakota in 1998.
• Launched his broadcasting career in 2000 as host of MacTalk, earning the National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Award (2007) for Small Market Personality of the Year.
• Returned to active duty in 2004, promoted to Major, and deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, with the 1st Marine Division.
• Mobilized again in 2006 for duty in Fallujah, Iraq, with the 5th Marine Regiment, while simultaneously serving on the Grand Forks City Council.
• Deployed once more in 2010 with the 1st Marine Regiment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, serving until his retirement in 2015.

Post-Traumatic Winning & Advocacy:

• Founded The Post-Traumatic Winning Company, LLC and launched ALL MARINE RADIO, an online platform promoting mental fitness and reducing veteran suicide.
• Began presenting Post-Traumatic Winning in 2019, first at Camp Lejeune, NC.
• The presentation has since reached audiences across the U.S., Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, and Europe, impacting organizations of over 10,000 members with measurable results in combating destructive behaviors and suicide.
• Launched the Post-Traumatic Winning Weekly Seminar series in January 2021, expanding the program’s reach and dialogue.
• Published his first book in March 2025, From Trauma to Joy: Life-Changing Lessons That Fellow U.S. Marines Taught Me After Traumatic Events Occurred in My Life — designed to share these universal lessons with a wider audience.

In This Episode:

• How trauma can become a source of growth, not defeat.
• The creation and impact of Post-Traumatic Winning.
• Lessons learned from leading Marines and civilians through crisis.
• Building mental fitness and resilience in the face of adversity.